Spain had late chances to win it, most notably through Fernando Torres, but Italy held on for a deserved point in the Group C opener.

Fabregas, who was preferred to Torres in the starting line-up in a 4-6-0 formation, felt the slow pitch at the Arena Gdansk prevented Spain from playing their high-tempo game. He said: “I don’t want to complain, but we deserve much more. It is lamentable that we have to play on a pitch like this.”